Shop Fun

June 27, Rain or Shine, 4-6:30pm on the Banjo Stage outdoors off the Greenway by The Sabo Bridge

Brianna Lane & King Mulhacen

This Friday, June 27, we're taking the Tiny Bike Shop Concerts on the road... or on the trail at least! Join us for a celebration of summer, bikes & music on the Banjo Brothers Main Stage [map] just off the Greenway at the Sabo Bridge from 4:00-6:30pm. Tuck a blanket in your bag, and ride on over with a friend. Enjoy free food from the grill courtesy of Banjo Mike & Banjo Eric. We'll be live-screen-printing T-Shirts and Posters to commemorate the day. Bring a blank T-Shirt and take home a memory!
All are welcome. Let us know you're coming on the event's Facebook page.
Tiny Show Event Schedule
4pm - Grill Fired Up!
5pm - Music by Brianna Lane and King Mulhacen
6pm - Prize Giveaways (must be present to win)
T-Shirts, Posters
Twin Six, Perennial Cycle, and Bodylish swag
A Pair of Banjo Brothers Waterproof Panniers
6:30pm - Post-show Ice Cream Social Ride led by Perennial Cycle Staff
PLUS: Weekend SALE!
This Tiny Show comes with a BIG Sale. In honor of our co-sponsorship of the Tiny Show, we're treating you to 25% off all in-stock Banjo Brothers gear* at Perennial Cycle Friday, June 27 through Sunday, June 29.
*This weekend's sale is good on all Banjo Brothers bags and gear, including saddle bags, trunk bags, backpacks, Minnehaha brand bags, t-shirts, shop aprons, and phone packs. 25% discount may be applied toward any one Banjo Brothers or Minnehaha Bag Co. item per customer. Applicable to in-store purchases of all in-stock Banjo Brothers merchandise. Sorry, discount may not be applied to previous purchases.

As many of you already know, we're hosting the Pre-Race Sign-in for the Almanzo 100 this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the shop, 3342 Hennepin Avenue South in Minneapolis. Weather permitting, packet pickup will be held outside behind the shop. Riders for the Almanzo 100 & the Royal 162 must exchange a signed release form in order to receive a packet. Ride over on two wheels if you can. A limited amount of parking is available in our lot, and there's ample on-street parking in the surrounding neighborhoo
There'll even be a special for Almanzo participants looking to stock up on last-minute supplies. Don't miss it! Speaking of last-minute supplies... here's a list we've put together combining Mr. Skogen's recommendations and a few of our own. See you on the Spring Valley, folks.

A supportive saddle, preferably one you've spent some miles breaking-in before race day

Remember, as Chris Skogen himself has said, "Anything can happen over the course of 100 miles." We might also add: On gravel. In Minnesota. In May. If you're a fan of CO2 cartridges, bring them along.

You'll need somewhere to put it all, especially if you're carrying more than a jersey pocket's worth of items. New for 2013, Banjo Brothers Frame Packs, available in two sizes (medium and small), are the perfect companion on a gravel ride. If you're hunting a bag that is easy to access while riding, Banjo's Top Tube Bag, Phone Pack, and Bar Top Bag are all excellent, compact ways to go as well.

At least one of us is bringing along an extra pair of socks. ANYTHING can happen. Keep that in mind.

Hydration. We carry a number of unique solutions for helping you find places for your favorite water bottles. Minoura's dual-cage mount for saddles is a favorite of Almanzo riders. Not just for Brompton owners, the Two Fish Quick Cage is another great, temporary solution for squeezing in an extra bottle.

Roomier than a frame pack but still compact enough for a minimalist rider, Carradice's Zipped Roll and slightly larger Junior are both great options for the items you'll need to access when stopping along the way.

p.s. If you cannot make it to Perennial Cycle on Saturday the 11th to pick up your packet, Chris has asked us to remind you that you'll be fine. You will be able to pick it up the night before the race in Spring Valley, or the morning of the race near the start/finish.
p.p.s. It'll be more fun if you pick it up on Saturday, though.

Registration for the Brompton US Championship • 2013 has been open almost a month now, and—as you can see above—the competition is all over the map. We are glad to see that many of the Minnesota-based competitors who took part in last year's race have chosen to return and that so many others from across the country have decided to make the trip to join us here in Minneapolis.
Many of you have told us you've already begun your training programs: ranging from getting out on your Brompton to practicing your Windsor.
If you don't yet see your home city city on the map, we have good news for you... there are still a handful of FREE T-shirts remaining when you use the special coupon code available at bromptonuschampionship.com.
We can't wait to see all of you at the starting line on June 23!
p.s. If you're not yet a Brompton owner, you might be interested to know that the wait time for special orders is just 5 weeks as of April 29, 2013. So, not only will your Brommie be here in time for race day, you'll even have time to get a bit of training in ahead of time.

With the arrival of our first 2013 Brompton models to the shop, copies of the all-new Brompton catalog have begun to trickle in to the store. If you've been considering a Brompton for a while now, why not take the leap this year? An extended demo ride is a great way to learn how this little folder from across the pond would fit into your life, and our demo fleet is better than ever. Call the shop at 612-827-8000 to find out more about checking out a demonstrator bike for a 24-hour period. Three demonstrators are available including a superlight M6LX in Apple Green, an H6L in Pink and White, and a brand-new S2LX equipped with a Brooks B17 Special and Eazy wheels, also with Titanium extremities. All three bikes are spec'd with Telescopic Seatposts to allow for the maximum range of fit for riders of all heights.
Below are just a few of the improvements you can expect on a 2013 Brompton bicycle. And, for those of you who've already put in a number of miles on a now well-loved Brommie, we're pleased to say that 2013 replacement parts are beginning to arrive at the shop as well. For those looking to catch a deal, select pre-2013 parts are on sale while supplies last in store and at PerennialCycle.com.

A newly designed aluminum brake lever with improved ergonomics, materials, and finishing

Updated, more consistent finishes on a number of parts

An improved Busch and Müller LED headlamp makes for an upgraded Shimano dynamo package

For more information about how these changes add to the Brompton experience, stop in to the shop for a test ride or give us a ring.
p.s. We're excited for 2013 for another great reason: the Brompton US Championship will return to Minneapolis this summer and we are once again the grateful hosts of the event. As for details? Hold tight. We've set the date along with Open Streets Minneapolis—Sunday, June 23 is the date to remember. Shopcast readers, Facebook fans, Twitter followers, and newsletter subscribers will be the first to know when registration opens. Spring is almost here, so in the mean time... get on that Brompton and ride! And, while you're resting from your training regimen, read up on race strategy at the newly launched bromptonuschampionship.com.